Brosnan

Challenge

Brosnan, a New Zealand-based company with multiple offices and a diverse team, struggled with inefficient document sharing and collaboration due to reliance on various PDF software like Adobe and Microsoft Edge. Managing large volumes of drawings, specifications and contracts highlighted the need for a more secure, unified platform. The fragmented system hindered productivity, prompting Brosnan to seek a streamlined, companywide solution.

Solution

Brosnan adopted Bluebeam, creating a secure, consistent platform for document markup, sharing and collaboration. Customized training ensured a smooth rollout, enabling teams to manage PDFs, perform advanced calculations and streamline workflows with greater accuracy and efficiency.

Benefits

Key Benefits of Adopting Bluebeam:

Enhanced Productivity and Collaboration: Teams work more efficiently with improved communication and streamlined processes.

Consistent Document Markup Platform: Standardized tools boost accuracy and reduce errors.

Simplified Workflows: Staff can focus on core tasks by minimizing time spent on document management.

From initial trials to full company adoption, Bluebeam has transformed Brosnan’s approach to project management and document handling.

Brosnan, a construction company with five offices across New Zealand and a large, multidisciplinary team, faced significant challenges with PDF documentation sharing, annotation and collaboration. Its reliance on various software, including Adobe and Microsoft Edge, led to inconsistent workflows, inefficiencies and difficulty handling large volumes of drawings, specifications and contracts.

“Our piecemeal system just wasn’t working,” said Richard Ertel, Chief Information Technology Officer at Brosnan. “It was critical to move to a more consistent and secure solution, as we deal with large volumes of documentation. A single platform would significantly speed up document sharing and reviews.”

In 2022, Brosnan trialed Bluebeam with 10 licenses to evaluate its potential as a unified solution. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and today, the company runs more than 140 licenses companywide.

Project Goals

To address these challenges, Brosnan sought a construction-specific software solution that could be rolled out companywide to unify its workflows.

Key requirements included:

• Customized markups to streamline communication.
• Advanced document control and manipulation.
• Integration of images and photos for enhanced project documentation.
• Tools for combining and comparing documents.
• Precise quantification of take-offs to improve accuracy.

“The trial showed us that Bluebeam is faster, more intuitive and allows our teams to focus on their work rather than figuring out the software,” Ertel said. “The initial success prompted us to move quickly into a commercial rollout.”

Solution

Implementing a new software system on such a large scale required careful planning and training. To ensure success, Brosnan engaged a Bluebeam reseller, Cadpro, to deliver comprehensive, tailored training sessions.

“Initially, there was some resistance from staff accustomed to Adobe Acrobat,” Ertel said. “Training was crucial in overcoming this and helping users transition smoothly to Bluebeam.”

“The Cadpro team was really helpful throughout the process, with their custom training ensuring our people were familiar with the tool. Cadpro has been super responsive, addressing any problems or challenges quickly, and the rollout has been an overwhelming success.”